title: The correlation between basal serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels before embryo cryopreservation and the clinical outcome of frozen embryo transfers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the correlation between basal serum FSH level before the fresh IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle and the clinical outcome of the subsequent frozen embryo replacement cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University tertiary referral center, London, United Kingdom.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred four consecutive frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles where serum FSH levels were obtained, on days 1-4 of the cycle before the fresh IVF +/- ICSI cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frozen-thawed embryo transfer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical pregnancy (CP) and live birth (LB).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Basal serum FSH in 127 women (25.2%) who had a CP was significantly lower compared with that in women who did not have a CP. Multivariate regression analysis showed significant correlation between basal serum FSH levels and clinical pregnancy and a low significance to LB, but there was no statistical significant differences between women who had a CP and those who did not with regard to age, treatment protocol (natural or hormone treatment cycle), or the freeze-thaw interval. The LB rate was higher in natural cycles (n = 71; 21.2%) than in hormone treatment cycles (n = 28; 16.7%). Conceiving in the fresh cycle had a positive influence on the FET outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Basal serum FSH level before fresh IVF/ICSI cycle is inversely correlated to a CP outcome in FET cycles. A trend was present between FSH levels and LB, but this failed to reach statistical significance.
authors.affiliation: Barts and The London Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, United Kingdom; Present address: Bridgewater, Somerset, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Kassab1963@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kassab
authors.affiliation: Barts and The London Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sabatini
authors.affiliation: Barts and The London Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tozer
authors.affiliation: Barts and The London Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zosmer
authors.affiliation: Research Biostatistics Unit, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Magdy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.affiliation: Barts and The London Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Talha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al-Shawaf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone